29.177(3)(3)Findings. The department may issue permits authorized under this section and s. 29.181 only in those years in which the department finds that the size or characteristics of the deer population of this state require additional or special types of deer to be taken for proper game management.

29.177(3m)(3m)Deer management rules. For the purposes of permits issued under this section and s. 29.181, the department shall specify by rule the type and number of deer which may be taken, the deer management areas where these permits are valid, the number of permits to be issued, the open seasons during which the permits are valid, the types of weapons authorized to be used under the permits, and other restrictions and conditions concerning these permits.

29.177(4)(4)Cumulative preference system. If the number of qualified applicants for a type of special deer hunting permit in a deer management area exceeds the number of such available special permits, the department shall issue those special permits for that deer management area according to the cumulative preference system.

29.177(5)(a)(a)First preference. The department shall create a first preference category for applicants who are qualified landowners, but not more than 30% of the available special permits for a deer management area for one season may be issued under this preference category.

29.177(5)(b)(b)Second preference. The department shall create a 2nd preference category for resident applicants who applied for but were not issued special permits for a given deer management area for the previous season. Within this preference category, the department shall give a preference point to each applicant for each previous season in which the person applied for but was not issued a special permit for that deer management area. The department shall create subcategories for each point total and place each applicant in the applicable subcategory. The department shall rank the subcategories according to the number of points received, giving higher priority to those subcategories with more points than those with fewer points. Applicants who fail to apply at least once during any 3 consecutive years shall lose all previously accumulated preference points.

29.177(5)(c)(c)Third preference. The department shall create a 3rd preference category for those persons who are not eligible under the 1st or 2nd preference categories.

29.177(5)(d)(d)Random selection. If the number of applicants within a preference category or a subcategory under this subsection exceeds the number of special deer hunting permits available in the category or subcategory, the department shall select at random within the category or subcategory the applicants to be issued the permits.

29.177(6)(6)Qualified landowner. In order to apply for a special deer hunting permit as a qualified landowner a person is required to be a resident and the owner of record or a vendee under a land contract of at least 50 acres in one parcel located in whole or in part in the deer management area for which the special permit is valid. No more than one person may apply as a qualified landowner for one parcel of land in one season and if the parcel of land is located in more than one deer management area, the owner or vendee may apply as a qualified landowner in only one of the deer management areas in which the parcel of land is located in one season.

29.177(7)(a)(a) Notwithstanding sub. (4), the department may issue special deer hunting permits without requiring that the permits be issued pursuant to the cumulative preference system under sub. (4) to members of the U.S. armed forces who are all of the following:

29.177(7)(b)(b) The department may not impose any deadline or other restriction on the timing for permit applications or issuing permits under this subsection. If a permit under this subsection is issued during the applicable hunting season, the permit shall authorize hunting beginning on the date of issuance.

29.179(2)(2)Application. Upon application by a holder of an approval to transfer the approval to a minor, and upon the payment of any fee required under sub. (3), the department shall transfer the approval to the minor if the application is made no later than the 15 days immediately preceding the first day of the applicable open season and if the minor has not been previously transferred that type of approval under this section and if the minor is otherwise eligible to use the approval. The department may transfer a sturgeon spearing license under this subsection only during the period beginning on the October 1st of each year and ending on the day that is the 15th day preceding the first day of the open season for the spearing of lake sturgeon that follows that October 1st.

29.179(3)(a)(a) If the holder of an approval is a resident and the holder applies to transfer the approval to a nonresident and if there is a fee for the issuance of the approval, the holder shall pay, at the time of application, any difference between the fee for issuing the approval to a resident and the fee for the approval to a nonresident.

29.179(3)(b)(b) A holder of an approval being transferred under this section may not receive any consideration for the transfer of the approval.

29.180(1)(b)(b) "Designee" means the decedent's surviving spouse, personal representative, guardian, or trustee that the decedent has designated to transfer his or her preference points, preference categories, or approval to a minor.

29.180(1)(c)(c) "Minor" means a person who is eligible to receive an approval or permit and is under 18 years of age.

29.180(2)(a)(a) When a person dies, the designee may apply to the department to transfer any preference points or preference category related to an approval to a minor. A request to transfer any preference points or preference category authorized under this section shall be submitted on a form provided by the department that contains all of the information requested by the department, including the signatures of both the designee and the minor.

29.180(2)(b)(b) An application to transfer preference points or preference category of a deceased person must be submitted within one year of the person's death.

29.180(2)(c)(c) A minor shall submit an application for an approval by the established application deadline date for that approval.

29.180(3)(a)(a) If a person who has been awarded an approval dies before the first day of the season to which the approval is valid, the designee may apply to the department for the transfer of the approval to a minor. A request to transfer an approval authorized under this section shall be submitted on a form provided by the department that contains all of the information requested by the department, including the signatures of both the designee and the minor.

29.180(3)(b)(b) If the decedent was a resident at the time of death and the designated minor applying for the transfer of an approval is a nonresident, the designated minor shall pay, at the time of application, the difference between the fee paid by the decedent and the fee required for a nonresident minor.

29.180(3)(c)(c) A minor who is transferred an approval retains all preference points or preference categories that he or she has previously accumulated.

29.180(4)(4) A designee may not receive any consideration for the transfer of preference points, preference category, or approvals.

29.180(5)(5) The department may promulgate any rules necessary for the administration of this section.

29.181(1b)(b)(b) "Farm" means land that is used on a commercial basis for an agricultural purpose during the year during which the bonus deer hunting permit is valid. "Farm" does not include land that is enrolled in the conservation reserve program under 16 USC 3831 to 3836.

29.181(1m)(1m)Issuance. Subject to s. 29.177 (3) and (3m), the department may issue a bonus deer hunting permit to a person who has a hunting license that authorizes the hunting of deer and who applies for the bonus deer hunting permit.

29.181(2)(a)(a) A bonus deer hunting permit shall authorize the holder of the bonus deer hunting permit to do any of the following:

29.181(2)(a)1.1. Take an additional deer of the sex or type specified by the department on the permit.

29.181(2)(a)2.2. Take an additional deer in a county or deer management area in which the department has confirmed that a deer has tested positive for chronic wasting disease.

29.181(2)(c)(c) Except as authorized by rule or as provided under par. (d), a person may not apply for or be issued more than one bonus deer hunting permit in a single season.

29.181(2)(d)(d) A person may be issued more than one bonus deer hunting permit in a single season if each bonus deer hunting permit authorizes the person to take deer only in a county or deer management area in which a deer has tested positive for chronic wasting disease.

29.181(2m)(2m)Resident farm owner. If the department determines that for a deer management area the number of available bonus deer hunting permits for a single season will exceed the number of applications submitted, the department may authorize by rule the issuance of one or more bonus deer hunting permits to a resident without the resident having to pay any fee, including any processing or issuing fee, if the resident meets all of the following requirements:

29.181(2m)(a)(a) The resident is an owner of record or a vendee under a contract of a farm that is located in whole or in part in the deer management area or in whole or in part in an adjacent deer management area.

29.181(2m)(b)(b) The resident has been issued one bonus deer hunting permit for that season and for that deer management area for which the resident has paid the fee specified under s. 29.563 (2) (c) 1. or 1m.

29.181(3)(3)Use of money from fees. From the moneys received from the sale of bonus deer hunting permits issued that authorize the taking of deer as provided under sub. (2) (a) 2., the department shall credit an amount equal to $5 times the number of those bonus deer hunting permits issued to the appropriation under s. 20.370 (1) (hx).

29.182(1)(1)Department authority. The department may issue elk hunting licenses and may limit the number of elk hunters and elk harvested in any area of the state. The department may establish by rule closed zones where elk hunting is prohibited.

29.182(1m)(1m)Open season requirement. The department may not establish an open season for hunting elk that begins earlier than the Saturday nearest October 15.

29.182(2)(2)Application. A person who applies for an elk hunting license under this section shall pay the processing fee under s. 29.553 at the time of application.

2013-14 Wisconsin Statutes updated through 2015 Wis. Act 3 and all Supreme Court Orders entered before March 25, 2015. Published and certified under s. 35.18. Changes effective after March 25, 2015 are designated by NOTES. (Published 3-25-15)